Understanding Your ACT Aspire Summative Results - FALL 2017 TESTING
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FA L L 2 0 1 7 T E S T I N G Understanding Your ACT Aspire Summative Results
© 2017 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. ACT National Career Readiness Certificate™ is a trademark, and ACT®, ACT Aspire®, and ACT NCRC® are registered trademarks of ACT, Inc. ACT endorses the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education and the Code of Professional Responsibilities in Educational Measurement, guides to the conduct of those involved in educational testing. ACT is committed to ensuring that each of its testing programs upholds the guidelines in each Code.MS4662 12/7/17
Understanding
Your ACT Aspire
Summative Results
in Three Quick Steps
Your ACT® Aspire® student score reports contain a lot of information about your skills that can help
answer three important questions about you and your future.
1. Where do I stand right now?
ACT Aspire shows your strengths and weaknesses in up to five subject areas:
English, mathematics, reading, science, and writing. You can also see how you are doing
in combined subject areas such as English Language Arts (ELA) and Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Your report also shows how you performed in specific
skill areas within each subject. Finally, you can see how your scores compare to those of other
students who have taken ACT Aspire.
2. How can I make goals for the future?
The scores you achieved on the ACT Aspire test(s) can help you decide what to do next. Looking
at particular areas of strength and weakness can help you determine where you need help and
where you may need to be challenged. This information can help you plan coursework and set
goals.
3. Am I on target for college and a career?
For most students, reaching their goals includes getting a college education. Preparing for
college or workplace training means having access to quality instruction and putting forth your
best effort. Your ACT Aspire score report references ACT Readiness Benchmarks, ACT Readiness
Ranges, and, if you are in eighth grade or above, a Progress Toward Career Readiness indicator.
This guide will help you understand the information on your ACT Aspire student score report and
how it can help you. Later, visit https://actaspire.tms.pearson.com for more information and to
watch a video for students and parents.
3What Your Scores
Mean
For each of the four subject tests you took (i.e., English, mathematics, reading, and science) you will see
a three-digit score. Just like your teachers turn your quiz and test scores into grades, ACT Aspire takes
the number of points you got right on each test and translates it into a score on the ACT Aspire scale.
Your score for each subject will fall into one of four levels: Exceeding, Ready, Close, or In Need
of Support. The level your score falls into indicates how you did in meeting certain standards.
Students with scores in Exceeding or Ready levels are also classified as meeting the ACT Readiness
Benchmarks. Your score for the combined scores (ELA and STEM) will fall into one of the two
levels: Meets Benchmark and Below Benchmark. Table 1 shows the ACT Readiness Benchmarks for
all grades and subjects. Students who score at or above these benchmarks are on target for college
readiness when they take the ACT® test in the eleventh grade.
Table 1. ACT Readiness Benchmarks
Tested
Grade English Reading Mathematics Science ELA STEM
3 413 415 413 418 419 420
4 417 417 416 420 422 422
5 419 420 418 422 424 425
6 420 421 420 423 426 428
7 421 423 422 425 426 430
8 422 424 425 427 427 433
9 426 425 428 430 428 435
10 428 428 432 432 430 437
More specific information about how you performed in each subject is also available in the form of
skill scores. Several skills (also called reporting categories) are measured for each tested subject.
The score report includes the percent and number of points earned out of a total number of points
possible in each skill. Student performance in each skill is also compared to an ACT Readiness
Range, which indicates whether you appear to be on target or may need help.
4What Your Scores Mean
Composite score
Student
information Page Number
Report title and
Report type and description
date(s) assessed
Predicted ACT
composite score
Longitudinal
process graph Predicted ACT
subject test
score range
STEM Score
ELA Score
Report term
definitions
Range of scores likely if
test is taken again without
additional coursework
Figure 1. ACT Aspire Current Progress Report
Figure 1 presents the Current Progress Report, which shows information about individual subject
scores, ELA and STEM scores, the Progress with Text Complexity indicator, the Progress toward
Career Readiness indicator, national percentile ranks and the scale score range in consideration of
uncertainty from measurement errors.
The Current Progress Report includes additional key data based on subjects you took and the grade
level at which you tested. The following scores are available for all grade levels:
• ELA combined score, which averages your English, reading, and writing test scores
• STEM combined score, which averages your science and mathematics test scores
• Progress with Text Complexity indicator, which identifies whether you are making
sufficient progress toward reading the complex texts you will encounter as you further your
education and work toward college and career
5What Your Scores Mean
• Scale score range, which shows scores you would likely obtain if you took the test again
without additional coursework
• National Percentile Rank, which is the percentage of students in the nation who received
a score that is the same or lower than yours for each subject test you took (see more about
National Percentile Rank below)
If you are in eighth grade or above you will receive an ACT Aspire Composite Score and
Progress toward Career Readiness indicator if you took all of the English, mathematics, reading,
and science tests:
• The ACT Aspire Composite score is simply an average of the English, mathematics, reading,
and science test scores (rounded to the nearest whole number) if you took all of those tests at the
same grade level. In the same way your overall high school grade point average shows how well
you are doing across all of your different classes, your ACT Aspire Composite score shows how
well you did across the four subjects.
• The Progress toward Career Readiness indicator uses your ACT Aspire Composite score
to project a future ACT National Career Readiness Certificate™ (ACT® NCRC®) achievement
level.
If you are in ninth or tenth grade, your score results also include:
• Predicted subject score ranges on the ACT English, mathematics, reading, and science tests.
If you took all these ACT Aspire subject tests, you will also receive a predicted ACT Composite
score range.
If you are a ninth- or tenth-grade student, ACT Aspire subject tests offer a bridge to the ACT
test. ACT Aspire and the ACT cover the same subjects . The predicted ACT score ranges that are
included in your student score report can guide college preparation or workplace training efforts.
You can use the predicted ACT scores to see if you are on target to achieve the ACT scores you want
by the time you take the ACT.
Improving your study habits and taking more challenging courses can lead to higher ACT scores.
Keep in mind that the predicted ACT score ranges are only estimates, not guarantees. You need to
keep learning.
6What Your Scores Mean
How Your Scores Compare
Next to your scores under the graphic for each subject, you’ll find the national average score for
students who took ACT Aspire. These show how you did on different subjects compared with
students across the country.
Your score for each subject is also associated with a National Percentile Rank that shows how your
score compares to students across the nation. In Figure 2, the score report shows “86th” as the
percentile rank for the sample student’s reading score. This means that the sample student scored
as high as or higher than 86% of students in the national comparison group. The bar graph helps
you see which of your scores are strongest and weakest relative to other students.
Figure 2. National Percentile Rank
7Your Plans for High
School and Beyond
Compare Your Scores to ACT Readiness Benchmarks
Your ACT Aspire results can be compared to ACT Readiness Benchmarks for grades 3–10 to give
you an early indication of whether you are on track to be ready for college-level coursework or for
participation in workplace training.
In the main graphic area on page one of your score report for each subject, the plotting of your score
shows whether you scored above, at, or below benchmark scores (see Figure 3). In the example,
the sample tenth grade student scored 426 on the English test, which is below the ACT Readiness
Benchmark of 428, and earned a Close readiness level. Students that score at or above the
ACT Readiness Benchmark on the ACT Aspire English, mathematics, reading, and science tests are
likely to be on target to do well in these subjects, assuming students will experience typical growth
moving forward.
The ACT Readiness Benchmarks shown on your score report depend on the grade level your test
was designed for, which may not be the same as your current grade level. The ACT Readiness
Benchmarks help you determine if you are on target for college readiness as determined by your
future test score on the ACT. Your percentile ranks help you compare your scores to those of
students across the country.
ACT Readiness
Level
Subject
Scale Score
Predicted
ACT Score
(for grade 9 and
10 students)
Figure 3. Progress chart from Current Progress Report
8Your Plans for High School and Beyond
Your Readiness Action Plan
Look at how your scores for each subject compare to the ACT Readiness Benchmark scores on your
score report. Then compare your skill scores in each subject to the ACT Readiness Ranges listed on
the Skill Proficiency Report (Figure 4).
Are your subject scores at or above the ACT Readiness Benchmarks or your skill
scores within the ACT Readiness Ranges? If so, you are doing well, but keep working hard.
There is still a lot to learn. Pay attention to the improvement ideas given for all subjects tested.
Are your subject scores below the ACT Readiness Benchmarks or your skills scores
below the ACT Readiness Ranges? You should pay attention to the improvement ideas, too.
Review the suggestions for improving your skills listed on each page of your report, especially for
your lowest-scoring skills.
You will definitely want to discuss any improvement ideas with your counselors, teachers, and
parents so that you can work together to get the most from your courses and reach the goals of
being ready for college and workplace training. It’s important to start taking action now.
9Your Plans for High School and Beyond
Chicago Egypt Skill Proficiency Page 2 of 2
Grade 10 Skills with fewer questions may be less representative
SUMMATIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL 1, 70001 of overall achievement.
Assessed Jan 19, 2017 - Jan 20, Birth Date: 1/26/2006, Student ID: 1002-720
2017
ENGLISH SCIENCE
Production of Writing 3 of 13 23% Interpretation of Data 15 of 17 88%
Knowledge of Language 2 of 6 33% Scientific Investigation 7 of 10 70%
Evaluation of Models, Inferences,
Conventions of Standard English 20 of 31 65% 4 of 13 31%
and Experimental Results
READING MATH
Key Ideas and Details 15 of 0 0% Grade Level Progress 17 of 0 0%
Craft and Structure 3 of 0 0% • Number and Quantity 1 of 0 0%
Integration of Knowledge and
Ideas 6 of 0 0% • Algebra 4 of 0 0%
WRITING • Functions 1 of 0 0%
Ideas and Analysis 5 of 6 83% • Geometry 2 of 0 0%
Development and Support 4 of 6 67%
• Statistics and Probability 2 of 0 0%
Organization 4 of 6 67%
Integrating Essential Skills 7 of 0 0%
Language Use and Conventions 4 of 6 67%
Justification and Explanation 7 of 0 0%
ACT Readiness Range: Shows where a student who has met the ACT
Readiness Benchmark on this assessment would typically perform. Modeling 13 of 0 0%
IMPROVEMENT IDEAS
ENGLISH SCIENCE
Production of Writing: In your writing, work on developing your topic effectively, Interpretation of Data: Carefully consider the intended audience to determine the
organizing ideas in a logical, cohesive way, and expressing ideas in a precise, most accurate and useful way to present data. Use mathematical concepts
concise, and stylistically consistent manner. (interpolation, extrapolation, slope) to interpret and extend from graphs.
Knowledge of Language: In your writing, work on choosing language that is Scientific Investigation: Generate hypotheses and then design and perform
precise and concise while maintaining consistency in style and tone. controlled experiments involving multiple variables to validly test the hypotheses.
Evaluate experiments for possible sources of measurement error.
Conventions of Standard English: Challenge yourself to write complex sentences,
avoiding all errors in sentence construction and using parts of speech and Evaluation of Models, Inferences, and Experimental Results: Compare and
punctuation correctly. evaluate the results of scientific experiments and compare and evaluate competing
scientific explanations. Examine ways to improve on scientific experiments and
READING explanations.
Key Ideas and Details: Read a variety of grade-level texts as you can, focusing on MATH
informational texts. Work on reading closely, determining main ideas/themes, and
identifying sequences and relationships (comparative, cause/effect). Grade Level Progress: Ask questions when you don't understand the lesson. Start
a group with classmates to study for quizzes and tests.
Craft and Structure: As you read, consider the purpose of texts and parts of texts.
Also analyze how texts are organized, how authors use point of view, and how • Number and Quantity: Work on applying properties of exponents and rewriting
authors use words and phrases. radical expressions in terms of rational exponents. What does it mean that a
number is the cube root of 3? Why should pi to the zero power equal 1?
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: As you read, analyze how authors present
their arguments. Also read multiple texts with similar topics or similar themes and • Algebra: Work on performing operations on polynomials, solving linear
analyze connections between and among these texts. equations and inequalities, and solving quadratic equations. Can you identify when
a system of equations has zero, one, or infinitely many solutions?
WRITING SCORE POINT DESCRIPTORS
• Functions: Work on interpreting and modeling with functions. Do you know the
Use the following rubric descriptions of your writing scores to identify your strengths basic characteristics of exponential, quadratic, square-root, and absolute value
and areas for improvement. functions?
Ideas and Analysis: The response engages with the task, and presents a • Geometry: Work on explaining geometric reasoning related to lines and angles.
thoughtful analysis that discusses implications and complications of the subject. Derive the formula for the volume of a pyramid.
There is purposeful movement between specific details and generalized ideas. • Statistics and Probability: Work on comparing distributions and interpreting
Development and Support: Ideas are adequately explained, with satisfactory use differences. Do you understand the difference between finding the probability of
of supporting reasons and/or examples. repeated events with replacement versus without?
Organization: The response exhibits a clear but simple organizational structure. Integrating Essential Skills: Continue to strengthen your skills by applying and
Ideas are logically grouped. Transitions between and within paragraphs clarify the integrating the mathematics you learned in previous grades.
relationships among ideas. Justification and Explanation: Understand not just what to do but why that works.
Language Use and Conventions: The response demonstrates the ability to clearly Create reasoning based on different cases, being sure to cover all of the cases and
convey meaning. Word choice is sometimes precise. Sentence structures are then summarizing the result.
occasionally varied and usually clear. Voice and tone are appropriate for the Modeling: Work on interpreting models. Identify the numbers and variables in the
analytical purpose, but may be inconsistently maintained. While errors in grammar, model and describe what they represent. Compare different models and explain
usage, and mechanics are present, they rarely impede understanding. trade-offs between accuracy and simplicity.
Scores are estimates of student knowledge and achievement. Actual achievement could be slightly ©2017 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. ACT, Inc.-Confidential Restricted www.DiscoverACTAspire.org
3846 Created 10/19/2017
higher or lower than the scores shown.
Figure 4. ACT Aspire skill proficiency report
10An Additional Student
Report
In addition to the two-page, full-color student report described above, a single-page, black and
white report will also be generated for each student. This report is designed to provide a basic
overview of score data in an easily-printable format. It includes the subject test scores, composite
score (for grades 8–10), ACT Readiness Level, Score Range, National Percentile Rank, and
Predicted ACT Score (for grades 9–10). It also includes Supplemental Scores, including ELA and
STEM scores subject test scores, Progress with Text Complexity, and a Progress Toward Career
Readiness indicator (for grades 8–10). Figure 5 below shows an example of a 3rd grade report.
Figure 5. One-page Student Report
11A Message to Parents
of Students in
Grades 8–10
Education has many benefits. High school and college graduates have more opportunities available
to them, including more job options and higher earning potential than students who don’t graduate.
Being prepared for postsecondary education means first taking the right courses in high school.
All students need to take at least the minimum high school core curriculum—four years of English
and at least three years each of mathematics, social studies, and science. Encourage your son or
daughter to take challenging courses and to put in the work needed to do well in those courses.
Compare your son’s or daughter’s scores to those of other students and to the ACT Readiness
Benchmark scores. This can give you an early indication of his or her likely readiness for the future,
providing time to address areas where improvement is needed. But it’s important to use that
time well. Be sure to review all of your child’s ACT Aspire student score report, particularly the
suggestions for improving his or her skills.
Getting the best education possible is an important key to your child’s future. ACT Aspire organizes
the important information you need to consider in helping your child develop educational plans to
meet his or her goals.
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